Various types of products incorporate ingredients which impart some kind of sensation to the mouth, oral cavity, throat or skin as a flavor or fragrance. Such products include toothpastes, mouthwashes, chewing gums, tobacco products, beverages and pharmaceutical products.
For example, 1-menthol and 3-(1-menthoxy)propane-1,2-diol are used as active ingredients in the products described above (e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,425). These products impart a cooling sensation to the mouth or skin.
PCT published application WO 92/10107 discloses that compound (II) represented by the following general formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently --COOR.sup.6 wherein R.sup.6 is H or lower alkyl, provided that in at least one of R.sup.4 and R.sup.5, R.sup.6 is lower alkyl; wherein Z is a direct bond, or --CH.dbd.C(R.sup.7)--; where R.sup.7 is H or an alkyl group; and Y is a group of the formula (III) or (IV): ##STR3## where R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 are independently H, lower alkyl or --OR.sup.10 where R.sup.10 is H or lower alkyl; is useful as a flavor.
However, an ingredient which can impart a more significant and/or stimulating sensation is desired for the consumer market. Moreover, such an ingredient must have good quality and have a long-lasting taste, odor or combination thereof.
On the other hand, it has been disclosed that a substituted benzaldehyde acetal compound represented by general formula (V): ##STR4## wherein R.sup.11 is C.sub.1-2 alkyl, R.sup.12 and R.sup.13 are each lower alkyl or R.sup.12 and R.sup.13, together with oxygen atom to which they bond may form, a cyclic group of the formula --O--R.sup.14 --O-- where R.sup.14 is a lower alkylene or alkylalkylene which may be substituted with a lower alkyl or OH;
is useful as a flavor and a fragrance (as disclosed in JP-A-57-188537 and WO 94/06441) (The term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application").
However, those compounds do not impart a stimulating sensation or a long-lasting sensation to the mouth or skin.